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[quote=mocosoccerparent][quote=soccer_dc][quote=mocosoccerparent]Hi - I am hoping someone can offer a balanced perspective on how I can best help my soccer-obsessed DD reach her full (and from what I can tell, great) potential.  I have not wanted to post until now because I knew I'd get a lot of responses that basically just said my kid was clearly some no-name loser playing for a no-name club.  Hopefully that won't be the case now.  I'll preface by saying that I was not athletic in the slightest so I have no "reliving my glory days" baggage but also no frame of reference.

DD is 13 and currently plays for a travel club that doesn't get discussed a lot on these boards.  She's a leader on her team and contributes substantially.  I have heard from numerous coaches that she's very talented.  She lives, eats, sleeps, and breathes the sport - when she's not practicing or playing, she's watching matches on TV or practicing on her own.  She absolutely loves it and is very self-motivated.  Her team plays EDP and finishes middle of the standings every season.  DD is happy with her team, coach, and teammates but she wants to continue to develop as a player and continue to play all the way through college, though she recognizes that prime recruiting and scholarship opportunities are few and far between.

So my question is, given everything, should she stay with her current team/club for the foreseeable future? Try to go to a different club where she may not be on the top team or may have to travel much further for games and practices?  Wait until high school and then move? I feel like the culture in this area is cutthroat and given how much she loves the sport, I'm reluctant to see her make a move to a place where the competition within the team is just as brutal as with opposing teams!  Any insights are appreciated.[/quote]

She seems to have the self motivation to achieve her goals. What remains is whether she has the talent. The best way to find out would be to tryout for a ECNL or GA team. Those leagues are designed for exposure to college coaches and give the best path to playing in college. 13 is a good age to start this process and now is the time of year when teams begin having ID sessions. Contact coaches and ask if she could come to some training sessions. You don't need to wait for ID sessions to be announced, contact the coaches now. At a minimum you'll get an evaluation from the coaches on where she stands talent wise. You could always go back to the current club if the travel and commitment take the fun out of it for her. But once she reaches HS it may be too late for the college path. While some EDP players do make it to college, it's an easier path playing with an ECNL club due to the exposure, coaching connections, training with better players, etc.[/quote]

Thanks! I'm curious what options are worth pursuing.  We're in Montgomery County so it would be difficult to drive to Baltimore or far into Virginia multiple times a week.  What teams are realistic options?[/quote]

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